UPDATE: Fire fighters battle house fire in Ellison

KELOWNA – Smoke and flames from a house fire in Ellison above the Kelowna Airport Sunday afternoon, Jan. 11, could be seen for kilometres as crews struggled to get access to the huge blaze.

Kelowna Fire Rescue was called at about 11:30 a.m. to the fire at 4211 Twin Creek Pl.

A call for mutual aid went out when crews arriving realized they couldn’t get the fire engines up the long, snow covered driveway to the home, according to unconfirmed reports.

Four-wheel drive vehicles were needed to get up the slick roadway, as were water tankers because there were no nearby fire hydrants.

Fire crews from Kelowna, Lake Country and the Kelowna Airport worked the blaze.

The airport sent a truck and crew as part of a mutual aid request to help supply water to fight the fire, airport spokesperson Jenelle Hynes said.

She said the truck was an asset because it hold 6,000 litres of water, and with its four-wheel drive, it was able to get to the burning structure.

No one was home at the house which was being renovated, according to Global Okanagan.

The cause is under investigation.

%%embed1%%

To contact the reporter for this story, email John McDonald at jmcdonald@infotelnews.ca or call 250-808-0143. To contact the editor, email mjones@infotelnews.ca or call 250-718-2724.

— This story was updated at 5:01 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 11, 2015 with new information.